Return to the Big Bend Day 1

I was the third one to arrive for our three day fishing extravaganza, my friends Dave Robinson and Tom Coffee were already on the water, and so I launched finding them in short order. The weather improved after some serious morning rain, and once the sun came out and the wind died down it was fish on!!

I call this one “A tangle mess just waiting to happen”

After our last trip up here, I have thought about nothing but these big Black Drum. They are everywhere and not as easy to catch as you would think. You have to be very precise with your cast and get it right in front of them. My efforts were spoiled last time, so I was really anxious to get on one. The water is so stained and their eyesight is so bad that you need to get it right on their nose, not always easy with a big rod, heavy leader and a small lite lure such as a Gulp crab.

While the fishing slowed down during the changing of the tide, I took the time to snap some shore birds that were waiting it out on a barely submerged sand bar.Shore Birds

Dave and I were working a long oyster bar that was loaded with Black Drum, when all of sudden I hear him say, “Hey Bill, take a look over there. It’s a huge alligator”. We were easily a quarter mile away from it, and it was clear that this was a big ole gator. Working in a bit closer, it slowly disappeared from the surface. Rethinking that this was a bad idea, we continued stalking the Black Drum. All the while keeping an eye peeled behind us.

Unexpected visitor, Huge Alligator.

Dave R on a Big Ugly.

It wasn’t long before I pulled the trigger on another one, seemed I had the hot hand for the day.

Heywood with another Big Ugly

Slayer Inc makes a great spinner bait for redfish and I caught this little slot red on my second cast with one.

My first attempt with a spinner bait

After a long day on the water and a long paddle back to the ramp, day one came to an end. Our friend and resident Big Bend expert Dustin would be joining us for day two and our search for Tarpon.